འཕགས་པ་གསར་འད་དམ་པ་མད་སྡའ་དབང་པའ་རྒྱལ་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད 229

229

“ ‘Mahāpraṇāda said to his two younger brothers, “I am oppressed by the fear in my heart that we could be killed by wild beasts. Let’s go back!”

“ ‘Mahādeva said, “I am not afraid, but in my heart there is the thought of being separated from beloved people.”

“ ‘Mahāsattva said:

“ ‘ “I have no fear and have no sadness
In this solitary forest praised by sages.
My heart has become filled with joy
Thinking I will find a vast, excellent purpose.”

“ ‘As the young princes were wandering in the midst of those twelve great, dense forests, they saw a tigress who had given birth six or⁵¹² seven days before, encircled by her five cubs. She was so hungry and thirsty and exhausted that her body was completely weakened.

“ ‘When they saw her, Mahāpraṇāda said, “Alas, this afflicted creature has given birth to cubs some six or seven days ago. Now that she has not found food, she will eat her own cubs, or will die of hunger.”

“ ‘ “What does this tormented one eat?” asked Mahāsattva.

“ ‘ “Fresh meat and warm blood are said to be the food of tigers, black bears, brown bears,⁵¹³ and lions,”⁵¹⁴ answered Mahāpraṇāda.

“ ‘Mahādeva said, “She has a body that is tormented by hunger and thirst, and she has only a little life left. She is so weakened she will not be able to seek for food and drink in this place. Who would give up their own body to save her life?”

“ ‘ “Oh! To give up one’s body would be a difficult thing to do!” said Mahāpraṇāda.

“ ‘Mahāsattva said, “For us, who have small minds and are attached to life and body it would be difficult to do, but for supreme beings who give their bodies to others, who are dedicated to benefiting others it would not be difficult.